Solved: Re: Inserting external email body content when com...

fionamacdonald · ‎08-15-2023

Hi guys,

I am setting up an automatic email from a shared inbox. Due to company security policy, I cannot share the flow with any of my team members (who could then theoretically change the 'send as' field), but I would like them to be able to edit the body of the message. I had thought a way around this could be to pull into the flow a file (probably html, but i'm open to alternatives if they work). This file would be saved on Sharepoint so that my team could edit the content and formatting. The flow would reference this content in the message body of the automatic email.

I could do it writing the email body in excel, or a Sharepoint list, but then there would be no formatting, and is not really practical. Everything I have found online seems to ultimately end in copy and pasting the html into the flow, rather than referencing it from somewhere else. Am I missing something really obvious?

creativeopinion · ‎08-15-2023

@fionamacdonald

You can achieve what you are looking for without premium connectors by using an HTML file. HTML files can be opened and edited in the Word Desktop app.

I used a Get file content using path action. In the Send an email (V2) action, I inserted the content returned from that file.

The file is saved on SP. You'd need to get the users to Sync the folder where the file is saved so they can make edits in the Word Desktop app. You can't open the html file on SharePoint in the Word web app.

I customized a few styles in the document and applied them to the content.

This is what the email looks like.

Hope this helps!

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View solution in original post

VictorIvanidze · ‎08-15-2023

Hi @fionamacdonald,

what's your exact problem? Email content is just a HTML text. You can read it from any source and place to the email body.

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fionamacdonald · ‎08-15-2023

Sounds like I'm missing something obvious then, which is good news. How do I read in the html? What action is it?

VictorIvanidze · ‎08-15-2023

It depends on the place where you store the HTML text. From where you wish to retrieve it?

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

creativeopinion · ‎08-15-2023

@fionamacdonald

You can achieve what you are looking for without premium connectors by using an HTML file. HTML files can be opened and edited in the Word Desktop app.

I used a Get file content using path action. In the Send an email (V2) action, I inserted the content returned from that file.

The file is saved on SP. You'd need to get the users to Sync the folder where the file is saved so they can make edits in the Word Desktop app. You can't open the html file on SharePoint in the Word web app.

I customized a few styles in the document and applied them to the content.

This is what the email looks like.

Hope this helps!

If I helped you solve your problem—please mark my post as a solution ✅.
Consider giving me a 👍 if you liked my response!

👉 Watch my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok

fsuarezoedt · ‎04-18-2024

Hi!

Is there a way to add fields to the HTML and be used in the email? For example using a template:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
    <title>HTML Test</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p>HTML test with fields.</p>
    <p>Here PA should replace the @blabla with the content of the variable:</p>
    <p>@{variables('Variable1')}</p>
    <p><br>
    </p>
  </body>
</html>

Then using a variable called Variable1 should replace the content of the HTML.

Regards,

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-18-2024

Just place this HTML code to the Compose action. That's all.

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

fsuarezoedt · ‎04-18-2024

Thanks for your quick answer!

Do you mean something like this?

Using that I got this:

So, no variable replace at all.

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-18-2024

In the "Send an email notification (V3)" you forget to switch to HTML mode. Click </> to do that.

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

fsuarezoedt · ‎04-18-2024

Tried like this:

but the output is still verbatim. No field is replaced by the value

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-18-2024

Here is my flow that works prorperly:

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

fsuarezoedt · ‎04-18-2024

No, but that's not what I'm trying to do. You are using the compose to put the HTML code and then you add the fileds inside. That's ok, and that works.

But we need a different approach.

We have dozens of HTML templates (emails). Currently we use your approach. But the idea is to have the HTML in an external repository (Sharepoint) and do the "load" of the HTML (see the action "Get file content in my screenshot), and use that HTML. Same procedure that @creativeopinion used. But his content was static. We need to use fields INSIDE those HTML files.

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-18-2024

As HTML is just a text, use the string replace() function then. Or I misunderstood you?

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

fsuarezoedt · ‎04-18-2024

And what would you replace by what, and where?

I have an external HTML file that has the email I want to send inside, with the "@{variables('Variable1')}".

When I load the file with the "Get file content", the exact HTML file is put in memory (or in a variable if you prefer, or a Compose).

If I put the variable in an email, the email is sent with the "@{variables('Variable1')}" verbatim. I get an email with that text. But I want that PA replaces "@{variables('Variable1')}" with the content of the Variable1.

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-18-2024

To minimize the changes required, try to use this:

replace(outputs('Compose'),'@{variables(\'Variable1\')}',variables('Variable1'))

If it will not work, in the HTML template use something like %%Variable1%% instead of @{variables('Variable1')}

And replace will look like

replace(outputs('Compose'),'%%Variable1%%',variables('Variable1'))

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-18-2024

Update: the first replace should be

replace(outputs('Get_file_content_using_path')?['body'], concat('@{variables(','''','Variable1','''',')}'), variables('Variable1'))

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

fsuarezoedt · ‎04-19-2024

That worked great! Thank you!

I like better changing the @{variables('Variable1')} for another placeholder like %%Variable1%% because that will do the HTML more readable.

Thank you again!

VictorIvanidze · ‎04-19-2024

Glad to help. If you can mark it as a solution please do that.

________________________________________________________

Welcome to my web site.

Inserting external email body content when composing email

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